The groups represented schools in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic,
South, Midwest and Western areas of the United States, and they were
there after overcoming similarly talented ensembles from 28 states who
were participants in the five regional competitions held earlier in the
spring.
Opening the festivities was the nationally known professional vocal band Blue Jupiter.
While the crowd warmed up to this popular group, recently transplanted
to the New York area, each competitor tried to shake the jitters, yet
retain the excitement level of this chance to be the ‘best of the best’
in high school a cappella.
Finally, the crowd was ready, the
judges were ready, the sound system was tweaked, and it was time for
each group to show them what they had to offer. And that’s exactly what
they did. When the program was complete and the scores assessed, they
all knew “There could be only one!.”
And that one was Crimson,
the Colorado/Wyoming champion and subsequent Division VI regional
champion who came all the way from Colorado Springs to become the 2005
national champions. They delighted the audience; they wowed the
judges and, as of May 8, they were the outstanding high school a
cappella group in this huge competition.
The popular female
septet is well recognized in their home area, but from here on,
everyone in their state will be pointing to them with pride. Their
director, vocal music head at Colorado Springs’ Cheyenne High School,
Dawn Wisdom, could not be more proud of her ladies. For those who were
2005 seniors, what a way to cap an exciting 4-year school singing
experience! And for the others, this fall will be their chance with
bragging rights, well earned in Colorado, their California Divisional
and, of course, in Washington, DC.
The winners include (l -
r): Sara LeLait, Heidi Hoch, Lindsey Samelson, Crimson director Dawn
Wisdom, Hannah Hahn, Anna Rubley, Lisa Yung and Thea Rubley.
Click on the wrench in the upper left-hand corner to see what else you can do.